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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rush · scale · date · fan · lean · object · charge · wax

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. charge — in control
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. lean — thin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. date — the fruit
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — a price
  14. scale — in music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. object — a thing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wax — to grow
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com